Personal Chair with Detachable Armrests and Backrest

ABSTRACT

A single-person chair includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally convex central portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The central portion extends upwardly, forming a first pool between the proximal end and the central portion and a second pool between the distal end and the central portion. A backrest is releasably connectable to the proximal end. A longitudinal centerline extends between the proximal end and the distal end. A first sidewall extends between the proximal end and the distal end on a first side of the longitudinal centerline and a second sidewall extends between the proximal end and the distal end on a second side of the longitudinal centerline. A liquid can be contained within the chair between the proximal end, the distal end, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/474,145 filed on Mar. 21, 2017, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. design patent application Ser. No. 29/630,698, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. design patent application Ser. No. 29/524,702, which was filed on Oct. 16, 2015 and which issued on Dec. 26, 2017 as Design Pat. No. D806,196, and which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/814,535, which was filed on Jul. 31, 2015 and which issued on Dec. 22, 2105 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,215,936, all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a single-person pool with a detachable backrest and detachable armrests for transport and storage.

Description of the Related Art

Personal pools are used to help a user relax and relieve stress. Typically, personal pools are fixed structures and are immovable. It would be beneficial to provide a portable meditation pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a single-person chair comprising a proximal end and a distal end. Armrests and a backrest are removably attachable to the chair to facilitate shipping and storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a personal chair according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a left side elevational view of the personal chair shown in FIG. 1, the right side elevational view being a mirror image thereof;

FIG. 2A shows a side elevation view of an armrest of the personal chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B shows a top plan view of a sidewall of the personal chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the personal chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of a removable backrest for use with the personal chair shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an umbrella that can be used with the personal chair shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. As used herein, the term “longitudinal” means a direction along a line between a head portion and a foot portion of the inventive device and the term “lateral” means a direction along a line between the left side and the right side of the inventive device. Further, as used herein, the term “proximal” means a direction toward a head end of the inventive device and “distal” means a direction toward a foot end of the inventive device.

The embodiments illustrated below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. These embodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principle of the invention and its application and practical use and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiments. The same applies to the term “implementation.”

As used in this application, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.

Additionally, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

Although the subject matter described herein may be described in the context of illustrative implementations to process one or more computing application features/operations for a computing application having user-interactive components the subject matter is not limited to these particular embodiments. Rather, the techniques described herein can be applied to any suitable type of user-interactive component execution management methods, systems, platforms, and/or apparatus.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as being approximate as if the word “about” or “approximately” preceded the value of the value or range.

The use of figure numbers and/or figure reference labels in the claims is intended to identify one or more possible embodiments of the claimed subject matter in order to facilitate the interpretation of the claims. Such use is not to be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of those claims to the embodiments shown in the corresponding figures.

It should be understood that the steps of the exemplary methods set forth herein are not necessarily required to be performed in the order described, and the order of the steps of such methods should be understood to be merely exemplary. Likewise, additional steps may be included in such methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined, in methods consistent with various embodiments of the present invention.

Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence with corresponding labeling, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.

Also for purposes of this description, the terms “couple,” “coupling,” “coupled,” “connect,” “connecting,” or “connected” refer to any manner known in the art or later developed in which energy is allowed to be transferred between two or more elements, and the interposition of one or more additional elements is contemplated, although not required. Conversely, the terms “directly coupled,” “directly connected,” etc., imply the absence of such additional elements.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a personal chair 100 (“chair 100”) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Chair 100 is a single-person pool that can be used by a user to sit in a pool of liquid.

Chair 100 includes a proximal end 110, a seat portion 120, and a central, or knee, portion 130 that combine to form a first pool 150, and a foot portion 160 and distal end 170 that combine with knee portion 130 to form a second pool 180.

In an exemplary embodiment, a central longitudinal centerline 190 extends between proximal end 110 and distal end 170 such that chair 100 on one side of longitudinal centerline 190 is a mirror image of chair 100 on the other side of longitudinal centerline 190. In an exemplary embodiment, chair 100 can be constructed from a rigid polymer or some other suitable rigid material.

Proximal end 110 includes a front face 112 that is part of first pool 150 and on which a user's back (not shown) rests during use. In an exemplary embodiment, proximal end 110 extends at an angle β of between about 40 degrees and about 60 degrees and, in an alternative embodiment, between about 45 degrees and about 50 degrees, although those skilled in the art will recognize that angle β can be other values as well.

Proximal end 110 also includes a rear face 114 that opposes front face 112. Optionally, flanges 115, 116 extend from proximal end 110 away from front face 112 such that flanges 115, 116 provide support and stability for proximal end 110

Proximal end 110 also includes a generally elongate slot 118 that extends generally horizontally through front face 112 and rear face 114 and is bisected by longitudinal centerline 190. Slot 118 is large enough to allow a user to insert four fingers therethrough to use slot 118 as a handgrip so that the user can grip chair 100 through slot 118 and move chair 100. Notches 119 a, 119 b extend downwardly from slot 118 and are used to releasably retain a headrest 240 that will be described in detail later herein.

An upper part 111 of proximal portion 110 in the form of a backrest is removable from the remainder of chair 100 along cut line 113, shown in FIG. 1. The removal of upper part 111 significantly lowers the height of chair 100 to accommodate shipping and storage of chair 100. A lower lip 109 of upper part 111 can extend over and at least partially seal cut line 113 to minimize the loss of water from first pool 150 during use. As shown in FIG. 4, upper part 111 includes a pair of pegs 115 that fit into slots 117 in lower part 119 of proximal portion 110, as shown in FIG. 4. Proximal portion 110 is sufficiently thick to allow for the formation of slots 117 without adversely affecting the structural integrity of proximal portion 110 proximate to slots 117.

Seat portion 120 has a generally concave shape that accepts and supports the user's posterior when the user is sitting in chair 100. Seat portion 120 includes a pair of sidewalls 122, 124 that extend on either side of longitudinal centerline 190. In an exemplary embodiment, right sidewall 124 is a mirror image of left sidewall 122, so only sidewall 122 will be discussed below, with the understanding that the same description applies to sidewall 124 as well. Sidewall 122 extends longitudinally between proximal end 110 and distal end 170 such that a liquid can be contained within chair 100 between proximal end 110, distal end 170, and sidewalls 122, 124.

Side wall 122 includes a top end 126 from which an armrest 128 extends laterally outwardly away from longitudinal centerline 190. Armrest 128 is removably connected to sidewall 122 by pegs 129 that extend downwardly from armrest 128. Pegs 129 fit into slots 123 in sidewall 122. FIG. 2A shows a side elevation view of armrest 128 with pegs 129 and FIG. 2B shows a top plan view of sidewall 122 with slots 123. Sidewall 122 is sufficiently thick to allow for the formation of slots 123 without adversely affecting the structural integrity of sidewall 122 proximate to slots 123.

In an exemplary embodiment, armrest 128 includes an opening 132. Opening 132 is generally circular in shape and can be used to releasably retain a cup or other object. Additionally, armrest 128 also includes a slot 134 extending therethrough. Slot 134 extends generally parallel to longitudinal centerline 190. Slot 134 is used to releasably accept and retain a tray (not shown). Armrest 128 also includes an opening 136 that is sized to allow a pole 202 on an umbrella 200 (shown in FIG. 5) to be inserted therein. Umbrella 200 can include a base 204 into which pole 202 can be inserted after being inserted through opening 136.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mesh pouch or bag 131 can be suspended from armrest 122. Mesh bag 131 can include loops (not shown) through which pegs 129 on armrest 128 can be inserted so that, when armrest 128 is attached to sidewall 122, mesh bag 131 is suspended between the top of sidewall 122 and the bottom of armrest 128. Mesh bag 131 can be used to store objects including, but not limited to, temperature packs 133. Temperature packs 133 can be heated to heat water in first pool 150 or temperature packs can be cooled or frozen to cool water in first pool 150.

Optionally, flanges 115, 116 can include openings (not shown) that can accommodate a strap such as, for example, a bungee cord, to extend therebetween to bias tray 220 against rear face 114. Still optionally, instead of a strap, a storage container or pouch 140, shown in FIG. 3, extending between flanges 115, 116 can be used to store objects, such as a tray.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 3, knee portion 130 extends upwardly from seat portion 120 and has a generally convex shape over which the user's thighs/calves extend. Knee portion 130 extends upwardly by a height less than the height of proximal portion 110. Knee portion 130 includes a proximal portion 137 that extends at an angle δ of between about 5 degrees and about 25 degrees and, in an alternative embodiment, between about 10 degrees and about 20 degrees, although those skilled in the art will recognize that angle δ can be other values as well. Knee portion 130 also includes a distal portion 138 that extends at an angle θ of between about 5 degrees and about 25 degrees and, in an alternative embodiment, between about 10 degrees and about 20 degrees, although those skilled in the art will recognize that angle θ can be other values as well.

Distal end 170 extends above knee portion 130 at the distal end of second pool 180, which can act as a foot rest. Sidewalls 122 extend between knee portion 130 and distal end 170, forming boundaries that define second pool 180.

Chair 100 is stackable on top of another chair 100 such that a plurality of chairs 100 can be stacked on each other, such as, for example, for storage and/or retail display.

It will be further understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A single-person chair comprising: a proximal end; a distal end; a generally convex central portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the central portion extending upwardly, forming a first pool between the proximal end and the central portion and a second pool between the distal end and the central portion; a backrest releasably connectable to the proximal end; a longitudinal centerline extending between the proximal end and the distal end; a first sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end on a first side of the longitudinal centerline; and a second sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end on a second side of the longitudinal centerline, such that that a liquid can be contained within the chair between the proximal end, the distal end, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall.
 2. The single-person chair according to claim 1, wherein each sidewall comprises an armrest extending outwardly from the respective sidewall, away from the longitudinal centerline.
 3. The single-person chair according to claim 2, wherein each armrest comprises a slot formed therethrough, each slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.
 4. The single-person chair according to claim 2, further comprising a tray releasably connectable to one of the armrests.
 5. The single-person chair according to claim 4, wherein the tray comprises a tab insertable into the slot such, when the tab is inserted into the slot, the armrest supports the tray.
 6. The single-person chair according to claim 4, wherein the tray is releasably connectable to the one of the armrests such that the tray is able to alternatively extend toward the longitudinal centerline and away from the longitudinal centerline.
 7. The single-person chair according to claim 4, wherein the tray is releasably connectable to the backrest.
 8. The single person chair according to claim 2 wherein each armrest is removably insertable into its respective sidewall.
 9. A single-person chair assembly comprising: a chair having a proximal end defining a first pool and a distal end defining a second pool; at least one armrest removably attachable to the proximal end; and a backrest removably attachable to the proximal end.
 10. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first pool has a left sidewall and a right sidewall.
 11. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 10, wherein each of the at least one armrest has a peg extending downwardly therefrom such that the peg is insertable into one of the left sidewall and the right sidewall.
 12. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a bag suspended between the armrest and the sidewall.
 13. The single person chair assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a temperature pack in the bag.
 14. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a knee portion disposed between the first pool and the second pool.
 15. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a pouch attached to the backrest.
 16. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a tray releasably attachable to the at least one armrest.
 17. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 16, wherein the tray comprises a first planar portion and a second planar portion, extending generally parallel to the first planar portion, wherein a connecting portion connects the first planar portion to the second planar portion.
 18. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 17, wherein the second planar portion is insertable into the at least one armrest.
 19. The single-person chair assembly according to claim 9, wherein the at least one armrest comprises an opening sized to allow a pole on an umbrella to be inserted therein.
 20. A single-person chair assembly comprising: a first concave liquid retaining portion including a backrest having a front face and a rear face, a first sidewall extending from the backrest and a second sidewall extending from the backrest, the backrest having a removable upper portion; a second concave liquid retaining portion including a foot rest, the first sidewall connected to the foot rest, and the second sidewall connected to the foot rest; and a first armrest extending outwardly from the first sidewall and a second armrest extending outwardly from the second sidewall, each of the first armrest and the second armrest removably inserted into their respective sidewall. 